Supporting means for floating decks



March 19; 1935. F, w, KUEFFER 1,994,478

SUPPORTING MEANS FOR FLOATING DECKS Original Filed April 16, 1923 5Sheets-Sheet 1 A TTORNE Y.

March 19, 1935. F. W KUEFFER 1,994,478

SUPPORTING MEANS FOR FLOATING DECKS Original Filed April 16, 1923 sSheets-Sheet 2 A TTORNE Y.

March 19, 1935. F. w. KUEFFER 1,994,478

SUPPORTING MEANS FOR FLOATING DECKS Original Filed April 16, 1923 sSheets-Sheet 3 A TTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 19, 1935 SUPPORTING MEAN S FOR FLOATING DECKS Frederich W.Kuefler, deceased, late of Independence, M0,, by Madge Kuei'ler,adminlstratrix, Independence, Mo.; Madge Kneii'er Scott. by order ofcourt, asslgnor, by memo assignments, to George D. Beardsley, KansasCity, Mo.

Original application April 16, 1923, Serial No. 632.487. Divided andthis application May 17, 1929, Serial No. 363,930

4 Claims.

This invention relates to floating roofs or decks for tanks and moreparticularly to means for supporting the floating roof or deck in aposition spaced from the bottom of the tank when the liquid is drainedtherefrom. This application is a division of the application ofFrederich W. Kueifer Serial No. 632,487, filed April 16, 1923, PatentNo. 1,765,593, patented June 24, 1930.

One of the objects of the present invention is to construct a flat roofof the floating type which shall be as light as may be consistent withstructural stability. As the roof is to be normally supported at allpoints by the oil upon which it floats, no great factor of safety needbe allowed to ensure horizontal rigidity. There may be, however, certainmechanical devices in the bottom of the tank which prevent the roof fromdescending quite to the bottom when all the oil is run off, thusdepriving it of the support of the oil, and 20 there are occasions whenthe oil must be drained from under the roofwhen the latter is at acomparatively high level, for the purpose of cleaning or repairing thetank.

In order to compensate at these times for the 25 withdrawal of thesupport aflorded by the oil, another object of the invention is theprovision of permanent means for supporting the roof above the level ofsuch mechanical devices as may be permanently positioned in the bottomof the tank, and the furnishing of detachable supporting means arrangedto be selectively used as auxiliary to the permanent supporting means,or independently of the latter, to support the roof at a comparativelyhigh elevation for cleaning out the tank.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in theimproved floating roof for oil tanks illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, described in the following specifica- 40 tion, andparticularly claimed, and in such variations and modifications thereofas will be obvious to those skilled in the art to which the inventionrelates.

In the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this specification,and wherein the preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the floating roof, parts being broken away toshow parts beneath.

Figure 2 is a side sectional view througha tank equipped with theimproved floating roof.

Figure 3 is a detail view in elevation, partly in section showing one ofthe permanent legs, one of the detachable legs and a portion of asealing member.

Figure 4 is a view in elevation of one of the anchor blocks.

Figure 5 is a view in cross section taken in a plane transversely tothat of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a sectional view showing in detail the construction of thethimble through which passes one of the detachable legs this being alsothe construction of the thimble surrounding the central guide posts, and

Figure l is a plan view showing a detail of the framing constructionsurrounding one of the detachable legs.

Referring now in detail to the several figures, the numeral 1 representsthe peripheral wall of an oil tank which in the present example iscylindrical in shape having a bottom wall 2. The walls of said tank areof usual construction being made of a heavy grade ofsheet metal, in theform of plates riveted together. As the tanks are usually of large sizethe side walls thereof are readily deformable from their true shape bythe considerable. unequally distributed stress. This has an importantbearing upon the operation of the floating roof for while the latter isfurnished, as will be seen, with means for adapting it to inequalitieson the inner surface of the side wall of the tank, it is essential thatmeans he provided for holding said side walls of the tank againstexcessive deformation from its normal shape. This roof consists of aflat member adapted to rest upon the surface of the oil within said tankand to rise or fall with the changes of level therein. The roof properwhich is designated by the reference numeral 3 terminates preferablyabout six inches from the side wall of the tank on each side, and isconstructed of a plurality of radially extending wooden rafters 4, thespaces between the adjacent rafters being bridged by framing arranged inany desired way, for instance as shown at 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 in Figure 1.The joints between the members of said framing may be reinforced ifdesired by suitable metallic fittings 10. The spaces between saidframing members are further bridged by lighter timbers 11 set on edgeand preferably extending radially of the roof. Upon these timbers andthe framing is arranged the sheathing panels 12, the latter beingcovered with the metallic plates 13, suitably riveted together orotherwise secured at the seams. At the central portion of the roof iserected a vertical sleeve 14 the top of which is flanged as at 15, saidflange being peripherally apertured for the attachment of one end of thecables 16, the other ends 17 of said cables being secured by means ofthe clevises 18 to the anchor blocks 19 as clearly shown'in Figure 4.Said cables act as tensioning members supporting ti: edges of the roofand maintaining the latter in its flat shape. Turn buckles 20 areinstalled in these cables and perform the usual function of adjustingthe tensioning of the latter. The lower end of the sleeve 14 is threadedin a manner precisely similar to the lower end of the sleeve 21associated with the detachable legs and shown in Figure 6. Said threadedend 0. the sleeve 14 fits into a flanged member 22, the latter beingbolted to the framing of the roof, a suitable packing gasketintervening. Below the sheathing is another flanged member 23 having atubular extension 24 of the same size as and aligned with the sleeve 14.The bore of said sleeve and tubular extension affords a sliding bearingfor the roof upon the vertical guide pole 25. Said guide pole is securedin any suitable manner as shown at 26 in Figure 2, to the bottom of thetank and extends some distance above the level of the upper edgethereof, having a flange 2'7 at its upper end apertured in a man-' nersimilar to that of the flange and supporting cables 28 the outer ends ofwhich are connected to off-set brackets 29 secured at intervals aroundthe upper edge of the tank. Turn buckles 30 are intercalated in thesecables and serve as a means not only for adjusting the verticality ofthe guide pole 25 but also for sustaining the side of the tank in itsoriginal shape or for correcting any material deformation which may havetaken place in the shape of said side.

The roof is provided with a vertical rim 33 that is in the form of ashallow channel having upper and lower flanges 35 and 36 respectively,the latter being perforated as best shown at 37 in Figure 3 providing ahinged joint for the sealing members. The upper flange 35 is bolted toan overhanging edge of the plates 13 which form the metallic cover ofthe roof and to the flange of an inclined coping 38 which extends aroundthe periphery of the roof proper at a slight elevation above said roof.

The sealing members 39 have a lug or lugs 41 fitting in the apertures 37for hinging the same to the flange 36, and are provided with water shedmembers 4'7. Water that drains from the water shed members 47 upon theroof, as well as water that falls upon the latter is carried away bymeans of jointed conduits 48 which open at one end upon the uppersurface of the roof as shown at 49 in Figure 2 and discharge through theside wall of the tank at 50.

In operation the floating roof rises and falls with change of level ofoil in the tank being guided by the guide pole 25. The sealing membersclosely engage the side wall of the tank, and being individually movableonly such members as encounter inequalities in the surface ofsaid wallssuch as rivet heads or indented portions are rocked away therefrom theremaining members maintaining their sealing relationship. As thefloating roof rises the jointed conduits 48 unfold, and they assume afolded position at the bottom of the tank when the oil is drainedtherefrom.

On account of the presence of said jointed conduits it is impossible forthe floating roof to descend completely to the bottom of the tank. Thusa situation may arise in which all the oil is drained from the tank, theroof being maintained in an elevated position resting upon said jointedconduits. This might endanger the stability of the construction oftheroof by robbing it of its means of support at peripheral and in.-termediate points. To meet this situation and to ensure that the roof beadequately supported at such times, means have been provided consistingof legs 51 secured peripherally of the roof to the under side thereof,preferably beneath the radial framing members. These legs are ofsufflcient length to make contact with the bottom of the tank when theroof is resting on the jointed conduits. A series of detachable legs 52are also arranged at intervals around the roof and extending through thelatter. In the example shown in the drawings two series of such legs areprovided but it is clearly within the scope of the invention to arrangesaid legs in any number of series and in any manner that may be calledfor by the structural requirements of the roof, to which they areapplied. These legs are slidably arranged in bores formed in metallicfittings which may be similar in every respect except size to thosewhich constitute the central bearing surrounding the guide pole 25.

As shown in Figure 6 each of these fittings comprises a sleeve 21extending sufllciently high to be above the level of submergence of theroof, having the lower end thereof threadedly engaging a flanged member53 the latter bearing against the upper face of the roof with a washer54 intervening and being bolted to a similar flanged member 55 on theunder side of the roof into which is threaded a thimble 56 having a borecontinuous with the bore of the sleeve 21. Said thimble is arranged at ajoint in the framing the latter being broken away for the accommodationthereof, as shown in Figures 6 and 'l, and the lower end of said thimblebeing preferably flanged as at 5'7 to clampably engage the ends of saidframing when the thimble is screwed into position. The detachable legwhich passes through the sleeve 21 and thimble 56 may be in the form ofa bar or hollow pipe and the sleeve 21 and said leg are formed withtransverse apertures 98 and 99 respectively which may be brought intoalignment, a pin 58 being passed therethrough to hold said leg inposition. Said leg is of such length below said pin that it terminatesin the same plane as the permanent legs 51.

For cleaning or repairing the tank it is sometimes necessary to supportthe roof at a sumciently high elevation to permit the entrance of a mantherebeneath after the oil has been drawn therefrom. To this end thedetachable leg 52 is provided with another transverse pin hole 100 at ahigher level than the aperture hereinbefore mentioned so that when thepin 58 is passed through said upper aperture said leg will project belowthe surface of the roof sumciently to give' head room underneath for aman. When supported in this position the roof will of course be deprivedof the peripheral support afforded by the permanent legs 51, tocompensate for which cables 59 are provided which are attached at thelower ends to'clevises 60 pivotally secured to theanchor block 19, beingfurnished at their upper ends with hooks 61 for engaging over the upperedge of the side wall of the tank. These cables are of such length as tobecome tensioned, at the point at which the legs 52, when adjusted totheir greater length make contact with the bottom of the tank. The roofis provided with a manhole 64 near the edge thereof at one side to giveentrance to the tank.

The anchor blocks 19 are secured to the rafters 8 by means of bolts 62and plates 62' beneath said rafters and engageable with horizontalflanges 63 formed on said anchor blocks.

Access to the floating roof is had by means of a stairway65 leading tothe top edge of the tank and a collapsible ladder 67 adjoining saidstairway 66 a portion of which rests upon the roof.

While the above describes what has been found to be a very practicalembodiment of the invention, it is nevertheless to be understood thatthe floating roof may also be exemplified in numerous other alternativeconstructions and the right of adopting all such legitimate changes asmay be fairly embodied within the spirit and scope of the invention asclaimed is reserved.

What isclaimed as new and desired to secure by Letters Patent, is:--'

1. The combination with a tank having a bottom, of a floating decktherefor, and flexible members carried by said deck and detachablyengageable with the top edge of said tank for holding said deck inpredetermined, 8M relation from the bottom of said tank.

2. The combination with a tank having a bottom, 21. side wall and afloating deck for said tank, of flexible members having means on one endthereof pivotally connected with said deck, and hooks on the other, endthereof detachably enaging the top of said side wall to hold said deckin predetermined spaced relation to said bottom of said tank, at asubstantial distance below the gaging the top of said'side wall to holdsaid deck in predetermined spaced relation to said bottom of said tankat a substantial distance below the top of said side wall, saidflexible-members being adapted to repose on said deck when not in use.

4. The combination with a tank having a bottom, a side wall and afloating deck for said tank, of flexible members connecting said deckwith saidside wall to limit downward movement of said deck toward saidbottom to a predetermined distance from said bottom, said flexiblemembers being connected with said side wall so as not to interfere withthe upward movement of said deck when buoyed by liquid rising in saidtank.

MADGE KUEFFER. Administratria: of the Estate of Frederick W.

Kuefler, Deceased.

